Final Fantasy: Light Bearers
by McMicah
Summary: The Four Fiends are bringing the world closer to ruin. A group of heroes, led by a white mage of mysterious origin, set forth, crystals in hand, to fulfill the prophecy of the sage Lukahn. -This is a retelling of the story, giving more detail to the heroes' lives and where they come from. Rated T for some instances of violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Enter the Heroes**

"Arin! Arielle!" a tall man shouted as two children followed close behind. He led them across a narrow walkway high in the air. "It's too late for me, but you both still have a chance." The man took a small, green crystal and placed it in the hands of the older child, a boy. "Arin, my son, take this and find the others destined to-" A terrifying roar drowned out the man's instruction as a large, multi-headed dragon touched down on the edge of the walkway, blocking the trio's route. "No!" The dragon reared its heads back, then spewed foul wind. "Arin!"

* * *

><p>"Huh!" Arin opened his eyes in shock. Many, many years had passed, but the nightmare continued to haunt him. "Again..." He stared at the crystal he was given many years ago and sighed.<p>

"Are you okay?" a woman's voice asked from the other side of a closed door.

"Yes, I am fine," he answered. "Just a bad dream, is all."

There was no response for a moment, then the woman spoke up once more. "I've nearly finished preparing breakfast. Why don't you get dressed and eat with me and my little brother?" The sound of her footsteps softened as she returned to her kitchen.

"Okay," Arin said with a grunt as he threw off his bedsheets and stood to his feet. He glanced down at the magic robe on his body and laughed dryly. "Ready." He crept out of his room and into the main room of the inn, careful not to disturb the other guests. The innkeeper's brother was seated at a table, motioning for Arin to sit beside him. The innkeeper herself soon had biscuits and jam set at the table. "Thank you for your hospitality. I know I am causing you extra work."

"Don't worry," the boy teased. "My sister thinks you're cute, so she doesn't mind."

"I-I don't know what he's talking about!" the innkeeper blurted.

"Just yesterday, I heard Kathy talking about you to the dancer, talking about how there's a white mage staying here and, oh, what was it she said? Oh right, that you were 'a total hunk' or something." The boy looked over at his sister and smiled mischievously.

"James!" the innkeeper hissed, her face red from embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, sir. My brother tends to speak without thinking."

"Do not worry about it," Arin laughed. "It is good to see people living happy lives during these troubled times. I already feel a little bit better."

"Is that so?" the innkeeper sighed. "Um, Arin, is it?"

"Yes?" the white mage replied, putting down a jam-covered biscuit.

"How long are you planning on staying here in Cornelia?" The innkeeper fetched a kettle of tea and poured some out for the three of them. "I mean, where do you plan on going?" James didn't even feel the need to say anything, so he just nudged Arin and snickered. "No! I didn't mean it like that! I am running a business here, and if you plan on staying for an extended time, I'll need a bit of an advance payment."

"I don't imagine that I will stay long," Arin answered. "I am looking for a few specific people. If I do not find them here, I will try searching in Pravoka, and then from there, I will try to find a way to hire a ship to take me to Melmond or Elfheim."

"Pravoka?" James gasped. "Haven't you heard the rumors? I've heard it's turned into a pirate's den. And besides, the bridge connecting Cornelia and Pravoka is broken."

"It is?" Arin asked. "That complicates matters. I will have to go to the castle and find out when or if the bridge will be repaired."

"Until then, though, please just enjoy this meal," Kathy insisted. The three continued to dine and discuss trivial matters as the sunlight began to reach the sleepy city of Cornelia.

* * *

><p>"So, back again, boy?" a grizzled man laughed, his speech impeded by countless bottles of rum. "It's almost predictable, how ye keep showing up Lads! Look who it is!" He motioned at the men around him, who all joined him in laughter.<p>

"Pirate Captain Bikke," the persistent intruder announced. "I, Pierre of Cornelia, order you to leave Pravoka at once!" The young man was covered in red leather armor, with a saber strapped to his waist.

"Oy, this again. All right boys! It's time to put this whelp in 'is place." Bikke turned to Pierre and grinned. "Ye remember the rules, boy?"

"Grr..." Pierre grumbled as he removed his sword and raised his fists. "No blades."

"Right-o! These swords are dangerous. We wouldn't want some innocent lad or lass cut up in the middle of our little squabble now, would we?" Bikke said with a sneer.

"You cowards, the lot of you!" Pierre shouted. "You're afraid to face me at my best, so you threaten the townspeople! But it doesn't matter; I'll see to it that you all atone for your crimes."

"Get 'im." Nine of Bikke's men charged at the handicapped fighter, overpowering him by their sheer numbers. Before long, they had him pinned to the ground, mercilessly kicking him and stomping on him until they grew bored. "That's it, boy? I expected ye to put up more of a fight than that!

"You-You won't get away with this..." Pierre groaned. The pirates, content with their victory, left the badly battered fighter on the street to prove their superiority to the town. Despite his beating, Pierre held on to what strength he had left to remain conscious. In the distance, he heard a young man arguing with someone

"What do you mean the port is still closed?" he shouted.

"Well, no ship dares enter Pravoka while the pirates run about unchecked. And you no doubt saw the bridge to Cornelia; the only help we have from them is that man lying there on the street. There's nothing we can do but stay quiet and pray for a miracle." the other man told him.

"Is that so?" The first man stopped speaking and approached Pierre. "Hey, you. Are you still awake in there?" The man reached into his bag and grabbed a healing potion. "Here, drink this."

Pierre took the bottle from the stranger and drank it quickly. At once, he felt his strength returning. "Thank you for that, sir."

"No need to thank me. I just did what any decent human being would do," the man responded, holding out his hand. "The name's Agura. I'm what you might call a monk."

"I see, I am Pierre, a warrior from the kingdom of Cornelia." As Pierre shook the monk's hand, a red and blue glow shone from the two men's bags. "That glow... do you happen to have a crystal of some sort?"

"Yes!" Agura said, startled by the question. He took a small, blue crystal from his bag and held it up. "How did you guess?"

"I have a similar crystal." Pierre revealed a small, red crystal and frowned. "It glowed once before, and that means- oh, no, why him, of all people?"

Agura looked at the knight-in-training with suspicion. "Um, care to explain a bit, buddy?"

"Agura, was it? Have you ever heard of the sage Lukahn?"

* * *

><p>"Good morning, Princess Sarah!" an elderly man said as he bowed in respect to King Cornelia's eldest daughter. "I take it you've come to see him?" The man pointed to a youth dressed in loose, green clothes, sleepily picking at a locked door. "Gordon! For the love of the Crystals, stop messing with that door!"<p>

"Don't get your beard in a twist, old man," Gordon moaned. "Almost got it...Hah!" The thief's pick snapped in half, leaving the lock perfectly unscathed. "Not again! That's the third- What did you need, geezer?"

"Not me, you dullard. Her." The old man turned to Sarah. "I'm sorry you had to see this. Should I get the knights to toss this criminal in the dungeon?"

"There's no need for that," Sarah said in Gordon's defense. "Gordy didn't do anything wrong."

"G-Gordy?" Gordon squeaked. "Uh oh."

"Nothing wrong?" the old man fussed. "He spent all night attempting to break into the royal treasury. That's nothing?"

"Sheesh. You make it sound like I'm some sort of greedy monster." Gordon gathered his broken tools and stashed them away. "I'll have you know, the reason I tried to open that thing was for the Light Warriors. I mean, all this stuff is going to go to them, right? Wouldn't it be better if we could just give it all to them when they arrive? It beats showing them a locked door whose key lies in another country."

"A likely story. Guards!" A knight in dark armor answered the old man's call. "S-Sir Garland!"

"What's the problem?" The knight looked over at Gordon and sighed. "I'll handle it." Garland grabbed the youth by the collar and carried him away from the storehouse. "Good morning, Princess."

"Good morning, Sir Garland," Sarah replied. "Please don't be too harsh towards him; I wish to speak with him later." Her somber tone made Gordon even more nervous.

"Very well." The knight lugged the thief away to a remote corner of the castle and set him down. "You don't know how to stay out of trouble, do you?"

"I was trying to help! I meant what I said earlier about the Warriors of Light. I have to do my part now if I-"

"If what? Do you actually think that you are one of the Light Warriors? I thought it was me for a time, as did our father. I gave up on such a silly dream once I realized the futility of it all. If he had done the same, he would still be alive today."

"You don't know that, Garland," Gordon said angrily. He took a yellow crystal out of his pocket and gripped it tightly. "Maybe I'm not really the one chosen by the crystal. Maybe it won't be someone from our family, but as long as I have it, I have a duty to do what I can to save the world."

"I'm wasting my breath on you," Garland grunted. "The crystals don't mean anything anymore. Lukahn is wrong about the Warrior of Light. It's merely a fairytale meant to give false hope." The knight stormed off, passing right by Princess Sarah.

"Gordon..." Sarah whispered sadly.

"What do you want?" Gordon barked, still bitter from his brother's cynical claim. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that." The young man slid down with his back against the wall.

"He's not completely wrong, you know." Sarah said as she sat down next to Gordon. "You do manage to get in trouble far too often. Strangely, it's one of the best things about you." Gordon remained silent as the princess spoke her mind. "You always put others first, never thinking about any consequences you would suffer. If more people looked past your troubled behavior, they would see the same kindness that Garland and I see in you."

"Is that what you wanted to tell me?" Gordon asked. "You never call me Gordy unless there's something very wrong."

"I knew you would have caught on." Sarah said, fighting to keep herself from weeping. "Remember what I told you a few years ago? It's truly happening."

"To whom?" Gordon asked, knowing whatever the answer was, he would not like it.

"The prince of the Elven Kingdom. Once he is awakened from his accursed sleep, my father plans for us to be wed."

"Who knows of this now?"

"Outside of the royal family, only you and Sir Garland." Sarah stood back up and looked down at Gordon. "It would be for the best, for your sake, that we no longer speak like this."

"I understand." Gordon did not try to look up at the princess, for he knew neither could bear to see the sadness on each other's faces. "Go on ahead. I need to be alone with my thoughts." Sarah honored his request and walked away. Gordon waited until she was gone, then slammed his fist into the floor a couple times in anguish. His self-pity, however, was cut short by a woman's scream. "Sarah!" Gordon launched out of the corner to find the old man on the floor. "Geezer! What happened?"

"Princess Sarah! She was abducted! We never saw it coming!"

"Who did this? Tell me!" Gordon demanded.

"It was...It was your brother, Garland!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Pirate and the Pugilist**

"I told you before, white mage," a Cornelian guard said sternly, "I don't know when the bridge will be repaired, and the castle is closed off to the public until a private matter is settled."

"I understand, but I am here on very important business," Arin retorted calmly as he revealed his crystal. "I am searching for the others who bear the crystals. It is a matter of grave importance."

"That crystal! Then it's true..." The guard glanced up at the king's tower, then back to the white mage. "You may enter, but the king is in a foul mood. It would be best if you tread lightly."

"That is fine. I do not intend to disturb the king, unless he himself was chosen by the crystals."

"Make way!" A squadron of Cornelian knights slowly trudged into the castle. Most of the soldiers were severely wounded, though not a single one was beyond saving.

"What happened to them?" Arin asked, watching the situation carefully. "Should I lend my aid?"

"We have healers here already," the guard answered. "As for what has happened, a scoundrel has kidnapped His Majesty's eldest daughter. He was once a knight of Cornelia, though not by birth, named Garland. He and his brother fled Melmond several years ago. If you wish to know more, look for a young man in baggy, green clothes." Arin nodded and searched for the man the guard spoke of.

* * *

><p>"More grog!" Bikke shouted at the terrified bartender, mixing his drinking with crazed laughter. "Aye, this be the life, eh?"<p>

"Aye, captain!" the pirates shouted. Amid the shouting, a stone flew through the window and struck Bikke as he was about to take a drink, causing the captain to spill his precious rum all over himself.

"Who be the dead man that dares mock the great pirate Bikke?" the captain snarled as he drew his saber. Every man in the bar, save for the pirates and one man, dove to the ground in fear. "I know ye. Yer the foolish warrior from Cornelia!"

"Ye be right." Pierre replied mockingly. "I'm through playing by your rules, criminal scum. Today, you face justice!"

"Don't ye remember what I said, boy?" He nodded to his first mate, who grabbed a maid and pressed the blade of his sword to her neck. "Someone could get hurt when swords are involved."

"Best do as he says, boy," the first mate sneered. "It'd be a shame if a girl this cute went and died because you started a fight." He let the blade lightly pierce the girl's skin, drawing a little bit of blood, grinning as she winced in pain. "Savvy?"

"You just sealed your fate, pal." A large rock smashed the remnants of the window and surrounding wall, scaring even the pirates. A second man leaped through the newly formed opening and threw a tankard at the first mate, who let go of his hostage in shock as the cup bounced off his head. He fixed his balance in time to see his attacker, a youth with messy, brown hair in a purple training gi. "The name's Agura. Let that sink in as your final thought." The pirate swung at Agura, who simply dodged the attack and jumped over him. "Too slow!" Within moments, the pirate found himself unable to move his head. "Good-bye." In an instant, Agura snapped the first mate's neck with his bare hands.

"Agura, stop!" Pierre shouted. "I was ordered to take in these pirates alive." At hearing the warrior's plea, two pirates took up their swords and charged him, only for them both to be swiftly outmatched and sent to the tavern floor with severe cuts on their arms and legs that all but paralyzed them. "You'll live," Pierre grunted.

"What's this? Another one?" Bikke growled. He was down to six able-bodied crewmen, caught between the two crystal bearers. "You lot! To the ship!" Bikke and his men scrambled to leave through the hole in the wall, but three men were struck down by the duo.

"Running away?" Pierre scoffed, standing over the defeated pirates. "Truly a cowardly lot!"

"No. Let's get out of here. Everyone clear out!" Agura ordered, picking up several injured pirates. "Take as many as you can. We don't have time for trips." Pierre nodded and dragged the remaining pirates out of the tavern. Not long after Agura gave the order, a loud explosion echoed as a cannonball crashed into the building, sending it crashing down. "Just as I thought."

"Ye cannot win!" Bikke bragged. "Ye honestly didn't think me entire crew left our ship unguarded, did ye?"

"You cur!" Pierre snapped.

"Careful, boy!" Bikke warned. "I just need to give me cannoneer the signal, and 'e'll fill Pravoka with holes!" He turned to Agura and smiled. "Ye predicted that attack, lad. I must commend ye fer it."

"My old man always told me it's unwise to keep all your wares on one ship," Agura replied. "I figured any pirate as infamous as you wouldn't open yourself to such a blunder."

"Yer old man, eh? Must have been a merchant of sorts. I wonder, are ye here for revenge? Did I sink yer old man's trade boat? Was it the Enterprise? The Nautilus?"

"No. He called his ship Leviathan. Is that one familiar? It's plastered across the back of your ship, after all." Bikke recoiled in surprise at the monk's claim.

"Agura?" Pierre gasped. "You know this pirate?"

"Hardly. He just looks like sea scum to me. I was just hoping to find some remnant of my father on my travels. When I heard of Captain Bikke's ship, I had to see for myself."

"Sea scum, eh?" Bikke threw down his saber in frustration. "Is that what ye think I be? Why not fight me then, man to man, no weapons, no rocks. I'll show ye why I am the great Captain Bikke!"

"No weapons? Has the pirate gone mad?" various townspeople murmured.

"Yer in fer it now, bandana boy!" the pirates jeered. "The captain's never lost a brawl!"

"Is that so?" Agura said with a smirk. "Then this will be interesting." Agura dashed forward, ready to punch the captain, but just as he got close, he jumped over the pirate and stuck his leg out for an axe-kick.

"Heh." Bikke, unfazed by the fake out, threw his arm up and blocked the attack. "Ye give yerself away too easily." He grabbed Agura by the leg and slammed him into the ground. "Ye'll lose at this rate, kid!"

"That's what you think!" Agura kicked at Bikke's legs, throwing off the pirate's balance. "Try to block this!" The monk leaped into the air once more for another kick.

"Foolish kid! I'll just block it agai-Ack!" Agura changed his angle in midair, striking at Bikke's exposed elbow, breaking the arm at the joint. "Arrgh! Dirty trick!"

"Look who's talking!" Agura sneered. "Had enough?" Bikke charged at the monk, but his assault was short lived as Agura knocked him flat on his face, then struck at his back, rendering the man motionlessly suffering in pain. Everyone watched in silence as the monk turned to face the crowd. "Which one of you is next?"

"Y-Yer a demon!" The pirates fled towards their ship, only to run into Pierre and several unconscious pirates. "Yipe!"

"You aren't going anywhere, save for Cornelia's dungeon," Pierre said with a scowl. The pirates, knowing they were outmatched, dropped their swords. "That's wise of you."

"So this is all of them, then?" Agura asked as the townsfolk went to work tying up the pirates, about a dozen besides Bikke.

"I believe so. Much of this was your doing. Cornelia thanks you for your support." Pierre glanced at Bikke and frowned. "What did you do to him?"

"I didn't kill him, if that's what you mean," Agura said defensively.

"H-Hey," Bikke groaned. "Ye, in the purple. I lost to ye today, but I must warn ye; ye won't get far with that primitive fighting style."

"It beat an unbeatable sea dog, didn't it?" Agura countered. "I don't think you have any right to criticize my technique."

"Feh. I be wastin' my breath," Bikke grumbled. "I don't think I'll be tasting the salty sea air much longer. Since it'd be a shame to let such a fine vessel rot, I'll let ye be havin' it."

"That's not up to you, criminal," Pierre added curtly. "What happens to your ill-gotten goods is for the king of Cornelia to decide."

"But the ship was my father's," Agura pointed out. "This man's claim aside, it should be mine by virtue of inheritance."

"Perhaps. In any case, we must sail for Cornelia to deliver these pirates to their judgment. What happens after can be sorted out later."

* * *

><p>"Hello?" Arin wandered the halls of the castle until he came across an elderly man. "Hello, good sir. I am looking for a man in green clothing. Did he come this way?"<p>

"Ah, you must mean Gordon," the old man huffed. "He's over there." The old man pointed to a column a ways away. "He tends to hide out around there often. I haven't seen him leave that spot."

"I see." Arin made his way to the place the old man described, and surely enough, he saw a man in loose, green clothes sulking in the corner. "Excuse me, but would you happen to be Gordon?"

"Huh?" Gordon glanced up at the white mage. "That's my name. And you are?"

"My name is Arin. I am on a pilgrimage to find those that bear the crystals." Just at that moment, Arin noticed his crystal emit a green glow. "What? Could it be?" He glanced at the thief, whose bag was faintly glowing. "Do you have the Earth Crystal?"

"You mean this? Whoa." Gordon Noticed the glow as he opened his pouch. "This again?"

"Gordon, do you know the significance of what you hold?" Arin asked.

"This is one of the four crystals that signify the Warriors of Light, destined to return the crystals to grace, as Lukahn foretold," Gordon answered. "Which means Garland was wrong! The prophecy is true!"

"It is," Arin assured the Cornelian. "I hold the Wind Crystal. Only the crystals of Fire and Water remain hidden." At that moment, a guard walked into the room. "Yes?"

"The king wishes to see you. Both of you," The guard replied.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The Turned Knight**

"I thank you for coming, both of you," King Cornelia began. "White Mage, you may not know this, but my eldest daughter, Sarah, has been captured by a treacherous knight by the name of Garland." He pointed his scepter to Gordon. "You are his brother. Have you noticed any oddities in his behavior before now?"

"N-No, sire!" Gordon answered. "I was just as ignorant as anyone else! I don't know why he took Princess Sarah." A look of concern flashed across the youth's face. "He hasn't done anything to her, has he?"

"Our men returned from pursuing him with this," the chancellor said as he held up Sarah's tiara. "Garland also told them his condition for the princess' safe return."

"Does he want money?" Arin asked. "What could he gain from abducting royalty?"

"He wants my position," the king answered. "He told my soldiers that he would not release my daughter unless I abdicate the throne to him. Even now, he is at the old shrine in the north, awaiting my answer."

"We need not deal with that criminal," the chancellor added, "but as it stands, none of us are a match for him, and as long as the princess is in danger, we can't send an army at him."

"You need people who can both get close to him and stand against him in a fight," Arin reasoned. "Is that why you sought for us?"

"Indeed," the king replied. "I have been told that the two of you have crystals. Is this true?"

"It is." Arin took his green crystal out of his robe and presented it to the king.

"I have one too." Gordon pulled his yellow crystal out of his pocket and showed it off.

"Sire, you can't be serious. One of them is a stranger, and the other is Garland's brother! We can't trust them. Besides, those crystals may just be forgeries." The chancellor glared at Gordon periodically as he spoke.

"But who else can we turn to?" the king asked. "You two, bearers of the crystals; as King of Cornelia- no- as a worried father, I beg of you to help my daughter return home safely."

"We'll do it!" Gordon answered quickly. "I can sneak into the shrine and try to talk sense into my brother."

"I do not think it would be wise to send us, sire," Arin interjected. "Our mission is of the utmost importance, and there are those suffering at the hands of the Fiends even now."

"Wait," Gordon said as he turned to Arin. "Are you refusing His Majesty the king? If something happens to Sa- to the princess..."

"Will the earth cease to rot if we go? Will the destruction of the world pause for us?" Arin asked, ignoring Gordon's aggravation. "No. My duty as a Warrior of Light is clear. I cannot waste time on other concerns."

For a time, the room was silent. The pause was broken by Gordon, who uttered a question in response. "What point is there to saving the world if you are the only person left to live in it?" Without waiting for an answer, he returned his attention to the king. "As I said, I will go to the northern shrine and attempt to negotiate with Garland."

"And if he won't listen?" the chancellor spoke up. "Will you have the resolve to raise a weapon against him?"

"I will do what must be done," Gordon answered. He looked at Arin and shook his head in disgust. "Some Warrior of Light you are." The thief stormed out the door and left to pursue the turned knight.

* * *

><p>"Garland, please don't do this!" Sarah pleaded, her hands bound behind her by a sturdy rope. "You can still atone for this." By her side was the Cornelian heirloom, a beautiful lute that was said to have a mysterious power. As fear started to claim her, the touch of the instrument brought a sense of calm that kept her spirits up.<p>

"It's too late, Princess," Garland grunted, keeping himself away from the black orb in the center of the shrine. "What's done is done. When this is over, I will be either a king or a corpse." The knight put a hand on his helmet and groaned, as if in pain. "I will give them a week to respond to my demand. If they do not answer, or if they send another band of rabble, I will have to prove how serious the matter has become."

"Garland, this isn't you," Princess Sarah said as she reached for her lute. "Don't you remember your brother? What will Gordon have to say about this? You know it's wrong."

"It must be done!" Garland shouted, driving back Sarah's pleas. "It-It must. You'll see that this is for the best." Garland glanced out the window towards Cornelia. "It's for the best."

* * *

><p>"Please reconsider," a Cornelian soldier asked Arin as he left the king's chamber. "We understand the world needs you, but our princess means the world to us."<p>

"That may be, but the Fiends are capable of tragedies far greater than this in much less time," Arin replied solemnly. As the white mage began to leave, he felt a light tug on his robe. "Hey!" He turned to find a little girl, her hands grasping his robe. Tears were streaming down her face. "Can I help you, little one?"

"Please! My s-s-sister! I want my sister!" the girl cried. Suddenly, memories of the mage's own family flooded his mind, family he knew was long gone.

"That's enough," a nearby guard said as he parted the two. "This traveler has made his position clear."

"Actually," Arin interjected, against his own judgment. "I would like to hear a bit more about the situation."

"Y-You would?" Both the guard and the little princess almost leaped for joy. "The queen is in that room there. She can explain, if she would see you."

"I see." Arin cautiously walked to the door and knocked. "Your Highness? I was told to speak to you concerning your daughter. May I enter?"

"Come in," came the reply. Arin entered the room and saw the condition of the queen. It might have been possible to call her beautiful once, but sorrow and worry quickly wore on the queen. "I'm sorry. I haven't been able to eat or sleep since my daughter..."

"The bond this family shares is strong," Arin noted. "It must be nice, at less trying times."

"What about you, sir mage?" the queen asked. "Do you have any loved ones?"

"No. Any I would have are surely deceased. All I have left is my mission." Arin paused for a moment. "That man, Gordon. Do you know much about him?"

"Yes," the queen answered. "He's a kind soul. He and Sarah grew up as close friends. When they were little, they- they-" The subject of Sarah made the queen fret again. "I'm sorry, when I think of her, I can't help but worry."

"I understand," Arin said as he took his leave of the queen. "Father. Arielle. Was that how you felt?" The pain of losing family seemed too familiar to the white mage; the more he learned, the less he could keep from getting involved.

* * *

><p>"Tch. These wolves..." Gordon hissed as he tried to outrun the wild beasts. As a wolf drew near, he drew his rapier and stabbed at the animal, all the while maintaining his distance from the other wolves. He repeated his dash and slash tactic until only three remained. The wolves grew wise, however, and moved instead to block the man's escape. Gordon halted as the first wolf lunged forward.<p>

"Protect!" a voice shouted. Almost instantly, a golden aura surrounded the thief, reducing the animal's bite into a minor scratch on the neck. As the wolf growled in shock and frustration, a wooden hammer struck the beast in the side, tossing it to the ground. "Are you alright?" Gordon caught a glimpse of his rescuer, the very same man he scorned earlier.

"I'll heal." The two healthy wolves circled the pair as the wounded wolf lunged for Arin. "Watch out!" One of the wolves dove at the thief, only to fall on his sword as he rose. He glanced back at the wounded wolf, unable to see the white mage. "Arin!"

"I am fine, Arin answered behind Gordon. "I had cast Blink before getting involved. The beast attacked a double." The two men charged at the injured wolf, finishing it off quickly with hammer and blade. The last wolf glared at the two, then fled to hunt another day. "We won!"

"I thought you said this was a waste of your time," Gordon grunted as he searched his bag for a potion.

"I was wrong," Arin replied abruptly. "I still believe that restoring the crystals is our most important duty, but that is not our only responsibility."

"Right," Gordon said as he surveyed the area. "We're almost there."

"At the shrine?" Arin asked.

"No, that's still a ways ahead. We're close to an old camp that we can use to rest in." The two heroes walked in silence until an opening in the forest came into view. There were a few tents and a fire pit in the clearing, almost waiting just for them. "It's still in good condition. I think we can rest here. The area near the shrine is dangerous, especially at night. Rumors abound among scouting parties that the living dead roam there."

"Living dead?" Arin repeated. "I see... Perhaps I should have learned the Dia spell before leaving Cornelia. It would have made dealing with the undead a bit easier."

"Oh, that reminds me," Gordon said as he gathered some wood for a fire. "I wanted to ask why you chose your particular profession. When most people think of white mages, their mental image is nothing like you. Are you some sort of convict trying to redeem himself? Maybe you have a family member suffering from some kind of sickness?"

"I am cursed," Arin answered plainly. "Without the protection of this robe, every breath I take poisons me."

"Whoa." Gordon recoiled in shock at the white mage's blunt answer. "So, you're dying? Wait. What if the robe gets torn up in a fight?"

"It has been magically altered to be indestructible," Arin replied. "So long as I wear it, I can breathe cleanly, though it also dampens my physical strength, so much so that I was nearly unable to walk when I first wore it." He picked up his hammer and swung it around a couple of times, quite visibly exerting himself in the process. "It took me several years of constant training to be able to use a weapon in battle, despite my weakness."

"That's intense." Gordon struck a flint stone to the wood pile until the sparks set. "I never was cut out for all that training. You, my brother, Pierre: I don't think I could handle half as much as you guys."

"I feared as much. That is why I decided to learn the Protect spell, since neither of us are durable in combat. I can only hope we will not need it for the ordeal to come."

"You mean when we face my brother?" Gordon didn't take his eyes off the fire he started. "If we can reason with him peacefully, then maybe the king will be lenient. But I just can't shake this feeling that something terrible is going to happen. That things will never be the same again."

"Gordon?" Arin thought it wise to steer the conversation away from the possibility of the thief being forced to fight his own brother. "I learned from the queen of Cornelia that you and the princess share a special bond."

"Sarah," Gordon sighed as he looked to the sky. "We were friends growing up. Close friends. But that was in the past. We're way too different now. I mean, she's royalty, and me? I'm just a guy whose talents include foul play, picking locks, and drawing hatred from half the kingdom. I-I don't really want to talk about it anymore." The two adventurers sat in silence until the flames began to wither and the heroes chose some vacant tents to use for the night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Desperate Knight**

Sarah struggled to stay awake in the darkness of the old shrine. Sarah watched as Garland took a seat on a broken column by the only door out of the chamber. Even the knight was not immune to the allure of slumber. The princess waited in silence, scratching the backs of her hands with her nails in an attempt to stave off sleep, until Garland's head slumped and his arm dropped to his side. "Good," she whispered to herself as she watched the knight's vigilance fail in the face to fatigue. "Now about these ropes..." The princess struggled to bring her hands out from behind her back and stood to her feet. "Maybe if I slip away, I can find some way to save Garland from my father." She turned back to grab her lute and began her escape.

"...Hmm..." Garland shuffled slightly, but seemed to stay asleep. Sarah crept slowly past the knight and opened the door to the outer room. "...Grr..." the knight continued to stir, as if something began to ail him. His shuffling escalated until his helmet slid off his head and crashed onto the ground. "Hah!" Garland awoke with a fright, sweating profusely under his armor. "Again with that accursed nightmare..." He glanced around the room for a moment. "Wh-Where's the princess?"

* * *

><p>"It's a good thing Gordon taught me how to sneak around without getting caught," the princess thought as she started her escape. Sarah could only take a few steps before she heard the clatter from Garland's helmet. "Uh-oh," She sped up her escape until a large, purple worm blocked her path. "A Gigas Worm?" she thought to herself. "It hasn't noticed me yet. I'll have to find some other route out of here." She turned around and ran to the western opening that led to the hall.<p>

"Hsss." A strange noise kept the princess in a defensive stance. She hid behind a pillar just as a skeleton ambled by. "Hsss..." the creature creaked as it moved, gripping its weapon, an old and chipped sword, with both hands. If Sarah had a weapon, it would make escaping that much easier.

Sarah began to weigh the odds. After a short time, she decided to take the risk. "Hey!" she said aloud, hoping to attract only the attention of the skeleton. Almost immediately, the monster swung in the direction of the voice, smacking the sword against the pillar. In that moment of confusion, Sarah dropped her lute and swung her hands at the skeleton's arms, knocking the sword out of its hands. She dropped to the floor, swiped the dropped weapon, and struck its skull, severing it from the rest of its body. "Yes! It worked." She paused to cut her ropes and returned to fleeing the shrine, with the sword in one hand and the lute in the other.

Sarah had made it to the stairs leading out of the shrine and sighed in relief. "Gwuuuh..." A horrid groan cut off her rejoicing as she saw the voice's owner, a Zombie, jump out of the darkness and catch her off guard. She turned to run, but the undead foe slashed at her back.

"Ah!" As the Zombie's nails dug into her flesh, a sense of unnatural dread overcame her. "I-I can't!" She tried to flee, but collapsed as her body failed to move. She found herself paralyzed; by fear? Or something else? "Stay away..." the Zombie shuffled closer to her, one of his claws wet with her blood. Before the creature could swipe at her again, a large blade cleaved it in two pieces. Standing over her was a man in dark armor. "Garland!"

"There's a reason I picked this shrine, princess," Garland said as he dragged Sarah to her feet. "I figured you might think of escape at one point. After all, Gordon has influenced you quite a bit." The knight walked the still stunned princess back to the center of the shrine. "But this place is more than you can handle on your own. For your own safety, I advise against trying this stunt again."

"I...can't move. Why?" Sarah asked, trying and failing to regain control of her own body.

"Some undead creatures have the power to turn their victims fears upon themselves," Garland explained. "In this state, they are effectively paralyzed. It is not permanent, and a trained warrior can resist the effect, but an untrained woman like you won't be able to move for nearly a day." Garland set Sarah down before a large, black orb in the center of the shrine.

"Am I...going to die?" Sarah started to weep as she spoke. Her predicament fueled her fear, making the crippling effect even more powerful.

"So long as your father agrees to my terms, no," Garland answered. "You might even learn to accept the end result." The knight stooped down and grabbed his helmet and placed it back on his head. "Try to get some sleep, if it's possible." The knight started to fall asleep again, the only creatures able to reach them being the harmless bats.

* * *

><p>"Wake up, Air! We gotta hurry," Gordan shouted as he poked around the remnants of the campfire. The white mage stumbled out of his tent, straightening his wrinkled robe. "Did you sleep in that thing?"<p>

"I have to wear it over anything else, at all times. We discussed this last night," Arin answered, half-asleep.

"Oh, right," Gordon said, wincing at his thoughtless remark. "Your condition. Anyway, we should leave really soon if we want to get to the shrine and return to this campsite before nightfall."

"That is a good plan," Arin added. "We will encounter less of those living dead while the sun is shining."

"Okay, pack up and change," Gordon ordered. "Er, if you do change clothes, that is. I'll get rations for four people for the return trip."

* * *

><p>The two men quickly ran through the forest, taking care to avoid marauding goblins and roaming wolf packs, though in some instances, they were forced to fight. Gordon stabbed at the leader of a group of goblins, while Arin's Protect and Blink rendered their enemies' attacks useless. The creatures eventually all fell to the two warriors, who gasped for breath and blinked in astonishment. "That magic is certainly something," Gordon said between breaths as he searched the goblins' pockets , finding a paltry sum of gil and a perfectly usable flask filled with a healing potion. "If I fought a group like that on my own, I would have more than just a few cuts to worry about."<p>

"It is a blessing, this magic," Arin answered in a similar fashion. "But you sell your own abilities short. While you might not be as strong as most, you are most certainly more agile. You managed to slay four goblins in the time it took me to kill one and wound another."

"I don't think comparing our fighting capabilities is really fair," Gordon admitted. "You did say that getup is making you weaker. All that means is I fight better than a severely handicapped man."

"Look, Gordon!" Arin shouted as his eyes fell on a white building. "Is that the place?"

"That's it! The old shrine. We're coming, Sarah." Gordon's pace increased wildly, causing the white mage to fall behind. In his haste, he neglected to notice a shadow lying in wait. He paused at the door of the shrine.

"Gwuuuuuh..." A Zombie crept up behind Gordon and raised its claw. Gordon spun in surprise and blocked the claw with his arm.

"A Zombie?" Gordon gasped. "Then the rumors are true. Well...Gah!" The thief's body began to lock up, freezing him in place. "I... can't... move!"

"Gordon!" Arin ran up behind the undead creature and swatted it away with his hammer. "Are you okay?"

"Don't stop! Finish it off!" Gordon screamed.

"I see," The white mage tightened his grip on his weapon and slammed it into the Zombie's chest, halting its movements permanently. "It must have infected your mind." Arin noted the creatures claws. "Let me see if I can help you. Cure!" With a wave of Arin's hand, the wound on Gordon's arm began to mend at a rapid pace.

"I feel... a bit better." Gordon twitched a little as he started to regain control over his faculties. "Now then, let's get going." Gordon pushed open the door, and jumped at the sight of a Zombie lying on the ground. "This one, it's been cut in half!"

"Why would this Garland be so bold? If a Zombie or Ghoul managed to slip past his armor... Why wait here, of all places?"

"He probably found a way to hide from them," Gordon guessed. "My brother's not the type to do something without planning all the details." The pair crossed the hall and stopped in front of the center of the shrine.

"This place is full of evil. I have a sense of foreboding," Arin said as the noises of various monsters echoed in the halls.

"Yeah, no kidding. Most soldiers are frightened of this place, for good reason," Gordon agreed. "Well, here goes. Garland!" Gordon threw open the door and saw his brother standing over an unconscious Sarah.

"G-Gordon?" Garland recoiled at the presence of his brother. "How did you get here?"

"I had some help from a traveling white mage," Gordon said angrily. "What are you doing? This isn't like you."

"Please, Sir Garland," Arin added. "What do you hope to gain from this act?"

"It's hardly for me," Garland answered. "True, I will take the throne, but I have no intention of remaining king."

"What? You just want to be the king for a moment?" Gordon spat. "Then what?"

"Then I abdicate the throne to you," Garland continued. "And at that point, there will be no reason for Sarah to marry the prince of Elfheim."

"Wha-" Gordon was shocked at Garland's line of thinking.

"Think about it, brother. You will have the woman of your dreams and the kingdom of Cornelia in the palm of your hand. You have everything to gain from this."

"Everything?" Gordon didn't know how to respond to his brother's explanation.

"Do not be fooled, Gordon!" Arin shouted. "Garland's tale is merely fantasy."

"You call me a liar?" Garland snarled, shaking his fist at the white mage.

"I do not know you well enough to deny your intentions, but I do know you aim to do the impossible," The white mage reasoned. "Even if the king gives in to your demand, do you think the citizens of Cornelia will want a criminal to decide who rules them? Once you take the crown, it will lead to chaos that could very well destroy the land."

"You can't be sure!" Garland argued. He periodically shifted his gaze to Sarah and the orb as he spoke. "I-I'm doing the right thing!"

"No. No, this is wrong," Gordon finally answered. "I may be a thief, but I'm not a monster. The king gave us everything we have. To do this, to steal everything away from him after he gave us a home, would be beyond evil. I won't let you continue this farce."

"Bah! I thought you at least would see what I was trying to give you, but it seems that you are just another one of the king's lapdogs." Garland pointed his sword at the two men. "I'll not be swayed, Gordon. I'll make you king, whether you want it or not!"

"You are mad!" Arin claimed. "If you keep this up, the entire army will be on your heels in the Blink of an eye!"

"Let them come!" Garland shouted, desperate to maintain control. "Whether you are a soldier, an army, the Four Fiends themselves, or even my own kin, I, Garland, will knock you all down!" The knight raised his sword against the white mage, only to strike at the air. "What?"

"Now, Gordon! While his guard is down!" Arin advised. "Protect!"

"Right." Gordon, bathed in a golden light, jumped forward and stabbed at the narrow gaps in Garland's armor with his rapier. His strikes were swift, but all aimed at the knight's arms and legs, hoping to put a stop to his brother without having to mortally wound him. "This is the last warning, Garland. Let Sarah go."

"No, this is your last warning," Garland retorted as he slashed at the thief, who barely had the time to block the blade with his sword. "If you don't cooperate, I will have no choice but to..." Garland groaned in pain and toppled backwards. "No choice... but to KILL you!" The chaotic tone in his voice made his threat all the more jarring, as Gordon shrank back in fear. "No! I mean- I-"

"Garland? What's gotten into you?" Gordon shouted.

"I don't- the dark-" Garland glanced back at the black orb on the shrine's pedestal one more time, and when he turned to face the crystal bearers once again, his eyes began to glow bright yellow. "Time's up. I'll kill you where you stand!"

* * *

><p>"So, this is Corneria?" Agura said in awe at the sight of the castle. He and Pierre led the pirate crew towards the castle while constantly watching the captain, despite his broken spine.<p>

"Er, it's Cornelia, Agura," Pierre answered, "and yes, this is the land I am proud to serve." Pierre stopped in front of the castle guard and saluted. "I have returned victorious over Bikke's crew. The man in the back was a large part of my success, and he has a matter that must be settled by the king."

"Pierre! Wait a moment. Hey! Get these lowlifes to the dungeon. Move it!" the guard shouted to a nearby group of soldiers, who proceeded to take the pirates away. "While you were gone, a traveler appeared with a crystal. That means that three of the four Warriors of Light have been found!"

"Actually, pal," Agura coughed as he reached for his crystal, "I have one of those things, too."

"All... four... G-Go see the king immediately!"

"I am already here," the king's voice interjected. At once, all the knights bowed in respect of the king, leaving only Agura standing tall, slightly confused. "You may rise."

"My king, where is this traveler?" Pierre asked, slowly standing to his feet.

"I, hah..." the king heaved a heavy sigh. "I believe I have done something very foolish. I requested that he and the other crystal holder, Gordon, go to the northern shrine to rescue my daughter from Garland."

"Garland? The princess? What happened to the kingdom while I was away?" Pierre gasped.

"It is a long story, perhaps too long right now. I had hoped that Garland's own brother could bring him to his senses, but I fear that there is no peaceful end to this trial. Please, can you and the last crystal bearer follow them and, if needed, fight against that man?"

"But they have gone so far ahead! How will we catch up to them?" Pierre asked.

"Uh, I got the answer for that," Agura interrupted. "Pierre, do you remember those wild Crazy Horses we found in the plains outside Pravoka?"

"Those demon beasts?" Pierre groaned, holding his gut, as if remembering past battles. "All too well."

"Well, I kinda, sorta... snuck one onto the ship. I thought it would come in handy."

"So that was the foul odor on the ship!" Pierre balked. "But can you trust that thing to safely take us to the shrine?"

"It's possible," Agura shrugged. "It's been cooped up so long, I bet it's ready to run laps around the world."

"Please, help them," the king requested. "I asked far too much of them, and now I fear for their lives."

"I shall, my king," Pierre answered sincerely.

"Don't sweat it, guy," Agura added, his informal manner of speech startling all but the king himself. "If those two guys got crystals, then they must be tougher than most. We'll get them all back safely."

"I see, In any case, I wish you both luck in your pursuit." With the king's blessing, Pierre and Agura sped away for their horse. "Gordon, white mage; be strong. Help is coming."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: The Chaotic Knight**

"Garland!" Gordon shouted in a panic. "What's wrong with you?" The knight quickly closed in on his brother, keeping the thief on the defensive.

"Heh," Garland snorted in response. "The time for talk is over. If you want to end this fight, then stand still and taste my steel!"

"Hold it!" Arin blurted, slamming his hammer into the back of Garland's helmet. "Gordon is not your only foe here."

"Ah, I nearly forgot...huh?" Garland glanced in the direction of Arin's voice and blinked in shock to find several versions of the man returning his glare. "Your tricks won't save you, mage. I'll tear through this feeble illusion!" The Arins all held their hammers aloft, poised to strike. Garland rushed at one and sliced it in two, causing it to dissipate. He charged another and slashed, destroying another copy. In the corner of his eye he saw a figure jump. Garland spun around, leading with his left arm, striking the mage across the face with his gauntlet. As Arin rolled across the ground, his copies dispersed into thin air. "Time to say goodbye!" Garland sneered as he stood over the white mage, his sword raised for the killing blow.

Gordon dashed behind Garland and slammed into his back, throwing the knight forward and sending him crashing to the ground near Arin. "Stop it!"

"You selfish trash!" Garland seethed. "You talk of not betraying the king's generosity, yet you think nothing of the time before Cornelia." He didn't bother to stand as he spoke.

"That's not true!" Gordon argued, still wary of his brother. "I still remember all you've done for me."

"Really? Because from where I stand, causing the king no permanent harm by abducting his daughter is, so you claim, 'beyond evil,' yet you repay the one who risked his life on your behalf countless times by turning a blade against him. Who is really the evil one here?"

"Do not listen to him, Gordon!" Arin warned as he struggled to his feet.

"I'm only fighting you because you kidnapped the princess! If you just put a stop to this scheme, I would have no reason to fight you!" Gordon was so focused on the conversation that he ignored Arin's warning.

For a time, Garland said nothing. "You might be right. Kidnapping that woman probably won't get me anywhere." Gordon started to relax a bit, relieved to hear his brother start to face reality. "But I don't care about that anymore!" Garland snatched up his sword and slashed Gordon, cutting him from his left hip across his chest to his shoulder. The thief fell back in shock, unable to move. The yellow glow in Garland's eyes started to fade for a moment as he saw the result of his actions. "Gordon! No! Ugh-" The foul glow returned, brighter than before. "That's one."

"Garland!" Arin shouted from across the room. "No, I am sure of it now. Whatever you are, you are not the man Cornelia respected and Gordon called 'brother.' Who are you really?"

"Oh?" The knight began to laugh, as if consumed by madness and controlled by chaos. "You are the weakest of them all. What do you hope to accomplish by yourself?"

"I see I have little choice," Arin sighed as he dropped his hammer.

"Giving up won't spare you." Garland said coldly as he walked toward the white mage.

"I don't intend to surrender," Arin asserted before taking a large breath of air. He grabbed his robe and began to fling it off himself. He grabbed his hammer again and wordlessly struck a fighting stance.

"Huh?" Before Garland could raise his sword, Arin charged forward and, with one mighty swing, threw Garland several feet backwards. "I-Impossible! How is it that you are so strong?"

"..." Arin refused to waste his precious breath on an answer, and merely lifted his hammer again.

"Say something!" Garland shouted. "I will not be made a fool of! Urg-" Garland doubled over and gasped. "...kill...me..."

"What?" Arin gasped in shock; a dangerous mistake. Black mist poured out of his mouth and nose as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. "Another trick? No..." he thought to himself.

"Hah!" Garland straightened himself and cackled. "You can't kill me! I'll kill you and the others, and all this will come to an end!" Garland charged forward at the white mage, sword raised.

"..." Arin likewise ran toward his opponent with his weapon at the ready. With a swing of his mallet, he knocked Garland's helmet off his head, inciting a growl from the knight. Garland slashed at Arin, but the cursed man's speed was far greater than the armored knight and he dodged almost effortlessly. "Hah...hah..." The extent of the fighting forced Arin to breathe in the toxic air, which started to blur his vision.

"That's it! It's time to end this!" Garland shouted.

"I will honor your request, Garland." Arin squinted as he raised his hammer one final time. He shut his eyes and brought down his hammer. The sound of a dropped sword echoed through the shrine, followed by a solid thud. "Hah...hah..."

Arin stumbled to his knees, barely able to stay conscious. He could no longer control his breathing, tired as he was. The sound of muffled voices rang in his ears for a few moment before he passed out. "Get tha..."

* * *

><p><em>"Arin, do you know what this is?" Arin's father asked as he showed his son the great Crystal of Wind.<em>

_"No," the boy answered. "But if you put that big robot in charge of protecting it, it must be important, right?"_

_"Indeed," the man laughed. "This crystal is one of four that are said to sustain our world. One fills the earth with life, another warms the people of the world in its fiery embrace, a third one keeps the seas in check, and this one is responsible for controlling the wind."_

_"Wow!" Arin gasped._

_"Sir!" a man shouted from behind a screen. "You should take a look at this."_

_"Arin, go see how your sister is doing in the lobby. I'll be there shortly."_

* * *

><p>"...Buddy? Hey! You with us yet?" An unfamiliar voice asked as Arin could feel someone poking his head. He grunted in retaliation, to the mystery man's approval. "Hey! This guy's moving around again!"<p>

"What? What happened?" Arin asked weakly as he fought to open his eyes. "M-My robe?" Arin found himself back in his robe and propped up against a log by the campfire he had seen once before, with a couple of new faces floating around.

"You should thank the other guy for that. Apparently, he fought to stay conscious long enough to tell us you needed to wear it." Arin looked up at the man he was speaking to, a muscular man in sweaty, purple clothes. "And hi. I'm Agura, one of those crystal holder guys."

"Gordon? Is he alright?" Arin tried to get up, but Agura pushed him back down.

"First off, worry about you; that guy passed out after you did and woke up way before you. If there's anyone to be concerned about, it's you. Secondly, we treated what wounds we could, but..."

"Garland..." Gordon whispered, sitting over the fire.

"I don't get it!" Pierre shouted. "Why did this happen? What would have driven him so mad that he would do something so foolish?"

"...me..." Gordon answered bitterly.

"Ungh..." The attention of the four was drawn by the sound of Princess Sarah stirring. Pierre ran up to her and bowed. "P-Pierre? What are you doing here? Where am I?"

"We came to save you, Princess," Pierre answered. "We stormed the shrine to rescue you."

"Yeah, but by the time Pierre and I got there, the fighting was over," Agura added, much to Pierre's disgust. "We pretty much just took care of those two, the white mage and that guy over there. After that, we took the lot of you to a place Pierre figured was safe."

"A white mage and..." Sarah glanced in the direction Agura pointed to find Gordon looking at her, a stone-cold look on his face. "Gordon!" Sarah pushed herself off of the ground, free of the curse that was placed on her, and ran to the thief. She stopped as she noticed he barely acknowledged her presence. "Gordon?" His face told her all she needed to know. "Oh no..."

"Urgh!" Arin hobbled over to Gordon, using his hammer as a cane. "I am sorry, Gordon. I know this is not what you wanted, nor I, but I believe even Garland preferred this over what could have been."

"It's all my fault," Gordon claimed. "He told us himself. He did all this for me. And we killed him for it." Gordon's voice started faltering with each breath as tears clouded his eyes.

"No," Sarah said, putting her arms around the grieving Gordon. "You can't blame yourself for what Garland did, no matter what his intentions were."

"Can we get going now?" Pierre asked bluntly. "We've spent all last night and most of the day in this campsite, and I'd rather like to reach Cornelia before nightfall."

"Is that wise?" Arin asked. "Neither Gordon nor myself are capable of protecting the princess in our condition. Will you and Agura be able to handle all the fighting, er..."

"Oh, my name is Pierre, "Pierre announced quickly. "Don't worry. I am the second best swordsman in Cornelia! Or rather, I am the best. You have nothing to fear."

"I...see," Arin replied as he hobbled away.

"Huh?" Pierre watched the mage shuffle away with an odd look on his face. He turned to see Gordon despondent and Sarah trying to console him. "What was that about?"

"Too soon, Pierre," Agura grunted as he shook his head. "I think it would be best if we just stay here another night."

"Fine!" Pierre barked. "If that will make you all happy, then let's just stay here!" The hotheaded fighter stormed into his tent and refused to leave it until sundown.

* * *

><p>Pierre poked his head out of his tent. There was no one in sight, thankfully. He crept out of his tent and ran for the fire, where a portion of meat had been left alone. He snatched up the victuals and prepared to dash back to his tent, but a voice called to him. "Sit." Almost immediately, he froze. He turned around slowly to find Agura and Arin by the fire. "We need to talk. It's about the crystals."<p>

"What about them?" Pierre asked between bites. "Forgive me, but I need to eat something."

"That is why we left you that food," Arin said as he struggled to find comfort on the log he sat on. "However, back to the crystals, I told Agura already, but I have yet to tell you and Gordon. Now that all four crystal bearers have been gathered, it is time for those chosen to travel the world and restore the Crystals to their former glory."

"Travel the world?" Pierre repeated. "You mean to say once we return to Cornelia, we will be immediately leaving?"

"Seems to be that way, Pierre," Agura chimed in. "For drifters like me and Arin, it's kind of normal, but you and the other guy have to say your goodbyes."

"I feel sorry for Gordon," Arin added. "Not only was he forced to play a part in his own brother's end, but he must also leave the land he loves, as well as the princess."

"Well, then some good's come of this," Pierre grunted. "The farther away from the princess he is, the better." A sudden thought struck his mind. "That cad." He dashed away from the fire and ran for Gordon's tent. "No doubt he's taking advantage of the princess in her vulnerable state. Gordon!" Pierre tore open the door of the tent to find Gordon sitting alone, staring at the new opening. "G-"

"I asked to be alone," Gordon said softly. "Sarah, Arin, and the other man were thoughtful enough to honor the request. What do you want?"

"I didn't expect-"

"Didn't expect what?" Gordon's eyes narrowed on the swordsman, his patience wearing thin. "Oh, I see. You thought I'd be so callous as to use my own brother's death as a bid to gain unmerited attention from Sarah. I'm so sorry to disappoint your imagination. Would you feel better about me if I went into the forest and began kicking a wolf pup? Would that make you happy?"

"You may have fooled the others, but I know you're up to no good," Pierre grunted. Just then, a foul idea crossed his mind. "Oh, Gordon, I learned something from the others just now. Once we return to Cornelia, we will be leaving for our journey, perhaps for good. So tomorrow, you should say your goodbyes." Pierre laughed as he left the tent wide open. He started for the campfire again, but bumped into Agura on the way back. "Oh, uh-"

"I heard that," Agura growled. "I thought you of all people would know how it feels to be kicked when you're down."

"Agura, you don't know him like I do," Pierre said in his own defense. "He's a liar, a cheat, and a thief. The day he gets my sympathy is the day Mt. Gulg freezes over."

"Why you-" Agura threw his fist forward, stopping it a hair's breadth away from the warrior's face. "Nah, this is just a waste of my time." Agura dropped his arm and glared at the fighter as he made his way to his tent.

* * *

><p>"The crystal holders are returning!" A Cornelian guard shouted from the gate. "And the princess is with them!" News of the rescue traveled quickly, reaching even to the throne room.<p>

"They succeeded?" the chancellor gasped. "Incredible."

"Sire, they are nearly here," a guard announced. "Should I let them in."

"Please do. And find my wife and daughter as well," the king answered. Within a few minutes, the four men walked in, bringing the princess safely home. "Sarah!" The king nearly leaped from his throne and embraced his once missing daughter. "I'm so glad you are alright."

"Father, Sir Garland-" Sarah hoped to explain, but could not speak over her father's joy.

"I know, I know. Don't worry, We'll see to it that Garland is justly punished for his crime." The king stepped back and motioned to the four. "Sarah, you should show yourself to your mother, so she can put her worries to rest. I would like to speak with our brave heroes." Sarah did as her father asked and left the throne room. "I cannot thank you all enough for what you have done for me. This is cause for celebration! I request that you stay for a short while so we may honor you properly."

"A celebration?" Pierre gasped. "Hmm..."

"I don't know," Agura pondered. "See, even though you sent us after these two, we didn't do much. I wouldn't feel like I deserved it."

"Nonsense! I'm sure you did more than enough. You all saved my daughter's life from that wicked man."

"Your Highness, if I may be so bold," Arin spoke up, "I believe it would be in very poor taste for us to accept. While it is true the princess survived this perilous ordeal, I was forced to kill Sir Garland in the process."

"I see," the chancellor interjected. "I suppose that is why he was not with you when you returned?"

"That is correct," Arin said with a nod. "We attempted to convince him to abandon his plot, but he sought to use force to secure his position. After that, he began to fight like a man possessed of some unnatural evil, willing to slay even his own brother. It was then that I..." Arin stopped himself from speaking any more on the subject for Gordon's sake. "It would be best if we quietly left Cornelia to begin our journey."

"...I understand. Gordon, I ask for your forgiveness." The king stepped down from his throne and looked Gordon in the eye. "I did not fully consider what you had to lose from this ordeal. Please do not hold it against me."

"Y-Your Highness!" Pierre shouted. "This- this thief- is not worthy of your forgiveness!"

"That is up for me to decide, young knight," the king answered softly. "I caused him to draw a sword against his own brother, a dilemma I would not wish upon my greatest adversary."

"It's fine," Gordon finally answered. "What's done is done. Please excuse me, but I don't want to talk about it anymore." He directed his attention to Arin. "Let me know when you all are ready to leave." With that, he left the room and started for his secluded corner of the castle.


End file.
